Brewing a witbier with Indian coriander and Nagpur orange

Why witbier suits Indian homebrewers

A classic witbier is pale, hazy, lightly tart and refreshing, around 4.5 to 5.5% ABV, with low bitterness. It is a summer beer by nature. The traditional recipe uses unmalted wheat, oats, bitter orange peel and coriander seed.

Most of that is sitting in an Indian kitchen or spice shop. Coriander seed is a staple. Oranges are everywhere in winter. Swap bitter Curaçao orange for the sweeter, more aromatic Nagpur orange and you get a witbier with a local voice.

The recipe for 20 litres

Target original gravity 1.046 to 1.048, final gravity about 1.010, roughly 4.8% ABV and 12 to 15 IBU.

• 2.2 kg Pilsner malt (50%)
• 2.0 kg flaked or unmalted wheat (45.5%)
• 0.2 kg rolled oats (4.5%)
• About 15 g of a low alpha noble hop, such as Saaz or Hallertau, at 60 minutes
• 15 g crushed coriander seed and the zest of 4 to 6 Nagpur oranges, added in the last 5 minutes of the boil
• A Belgian witbier yeast

The figures assume around 70 to 75% efficiency. Adjust for your system using our guide to brewing a wheat beer at home.

Mashing with raw wheat

Unmalted wheat and oats have no enzymes of their own and are full of sticky gums, so they rely on the Pilsner malt to convert. Mash at 65 to 67 °C for 60 minutes. Add a handful of rice hulls if you have them, because a grist this high in wheat can stick and slow the run-off.

If you are using whole Indian wheat from a flour mill rather than flaked wheat, crack it finely. Raw wheat starch gelatinises at a temperature close to normal mash temperature, so a fine crush and a slightly longer mash usually get you there without a separate cereal cook. Check conversion with an iodine test before you run off.

Choosing and using Indian coriander

Coriander seed comes in different types. Many brewers prefer the paler, oval Indian type for its bright citrus character, while some round types taste more of sage or ham. Smell before you buy. Fresh seed should smell lemony and floral. Stale or old seed can taste soapy or vegetal.

Crush the seed just before the boil with a rolling pin or a mortar, cracking each seed rather than powdering it. Add it in the last 5 minutes. Coriander aroma is volatile, so long boiling drives it off, while too much gives a celery or soap note. Fifteen grams for 20 litres is a safe start. Our guide to brewing with Indian spices covers other spice options.

Working with Nagpur orange

The Nagpur orange is a mandarin type with a loose, thin skin and a sweet, strongly aromatic peel. Use only the coloured zest. The white pith underneath is bitter and can make the beer harsh. A microplane or a sharp peeler works well.

Add the fresh zest with the coriander at the end of the boil, or steep it in the hot wort at flameout for 10 minutes before chilling. Because Nagpur peel is sweeter and less bitter than the dried Curaçao peel in Belgian recipes, it gives a juicier orange note and slightly less of the bitter edge. Some brewers add a little dried bitter orange peel too, for balance.

The fruit is in season in the cooler months. Out of season, dried orange peel from a spice or ayurvedic shop works, but use it sparingly and smell it first, as dried peel can taste dusty.

Fermenting through the heat

Witbier yeast gives spicy, fruity notes. At 19 to 22 °C it stays balanced. At 28 °C or above, which many Indian homes reach in summer, it can turn solventy and harsh. Keep the fermenter cool with a water bath and frozen bottles, a wet towel and a fan or a spare fridge with a temperature controller.

Fermentation usually finishes in about a week. Bottle with priming sugar for 2.5 to 3 volumes of CO2, as witbier should be lively.

Serving and adjusting

Serve at 4 to 7 °C in a tumbler or tulip. Swirl the last of the bottle to bring up the yeast, since haze is part of the style. Witbier goes well with salads, light fish dishes and lightly spiced food such as a Kerala fish moilee.

Taste critically and change one thing at a time on the next batch: more or less coriander, zest at a different stage, a warmer or cooler ferment. Spice beers live and die on balance. Knowing which lever to pull is what separates a pleasant beer from a great one.

Common questions

Can I use supermarket coriander seed?

Yes, as long as it is fresh. Smell it first: it should be lemony and floral. Crush it just before use and add it at the end of the boil.

Should I use fresh or dried orange peel?

Fresh Nagpur zest gives a brighter, sweeter orange note. Dried peel works out of season but can taste dusty, so use less and smell it first.

Why is my witbier tasting of soap?

Usually too much coriander or old seed. Reduce the amount, use fresh seed and add it later in the boil.

Do I need a cereal mash for raw wheat?

Usually not. Raw wheat gelatinises near normal mash temperatures, so a fine crush and a longer mash normally convert it. Check with an iodine test.